THEY’RE so different to the likes of the Spice Girls or Little Mix but Scots band Na Seudan Ùr are proving a hit with music lovers.

The girls, who set tongues wagging when they won at the National Mod which they’ll be entering again next week, have released a first album of Gaelic songs after four years together.

The album Seunta (Enchanted) features the talents of Tarbert-born lead vocalist Emma Macfarlane, 16, who plays guitar and cajon; Hannah Prill, from Skipness, 17, on flute, piano and vocals; Niamh Mackaveney, 18, from West Loch Tarbert, playing violin, piano and singing; Emma Kok, 14, from Tarbert, on double bass, cello and vocals; and Naomi Stanesby, 17, from Clachan, on flute, piano, accordion, harp and vocals.

Niamh is thrilled by the feedback – even if they have upset a few traditionalists – and said: “The group have been going for about four years and the first time we performed at the National Mod we came third. We were quite young and not from a Gaelic-speaking area so we caused a stir.

“People didn’t expect us to do so well and, while some were very complimentary, others thought we shouldn’t be in a folk group competition because we did not play traditional music.

“We wanted to show you can keep a language alive by keeping the songs modern and fresh.”

The girls were first in the under-19s at the National Mod two years later and decided to make a record.

Niamh said: “We had a few attempts at doing the album about two years ago but had some problems with funding, then we finally managed to do it with help from online crowdfunding site Kickstarter, asking people to make pledges in return for CDs, brooches and T-shirts.”

The album has gone down well and the girls have appeared on BBC Alba, as well as receiving Twitter messages and endorsements from other artists on the Gaelic music scene.

Na Seudan Ùr are causing a stir with their modern take on traditional Gaelic music

Niamh laughed: “We don’t do dance moves but the Gaelic music scene does attract a lot of younger people.

“At Tiree Music Festival there are a lot of 16 to 24-year-olds who listen.

“In my area, lots of people are into traditional music but the younger people prefer something that has a bit more of a rock ’n’ roll style to it.”

The group’s musical director and arranger, Susan Rhodes, who is a translator by day and mum to band member Emma Kok, is thrilled that the girls’ hard work has paid off.

She said: “We live in a boat and came to Scotland from the Netherlands where I was living for 10 years. There wasn’t a lot going on in Tarbet and parents were keen to get their children to do more music and play together.

“I knew that some of the girls were already singing solo and had done some Gaelic work with Dr Neil MacDonald at The Mods so we decided to get everyone together in 2010. The girls are competing against natural Gaelic speakers so they need to achieve high marks in the music category to make up for the fact they are not native.”

The band have performed at Celtic Connections’ Danny Kyle Stage, The Mull of Kintyre Music Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe.

Susan was keen to include some Scots songs on their CD, as well as her Gaelic compositions.

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She said: “We had more than 150 people at the launch at the Putechan, Bellochantuy last Saturday – from as far away as Yorkshire and Inverness.” The band’s next big live date is at the National Mod on October 13 and, whatever happens on the night, Susan is sure the girls will continue with their singing.

She said: “Two of the group have decided to pursue music at university and the whole project has got everyone interested in performing and working together. They’ve had rave reviews and they’ve had their CD endorsed by Mary Ann Kennedy.”

Sales of the CD have been going well on iTunes in the Netherlands and Simply Scottish in Washington have also agreed to promote the album on their website.

Susan added: “The CDs are on sale at various locations in Mid-Argyll and Kintyre, while Oban Music and Music in Scotland are also stocking it.